One Youth Organization Touching The Hearts Of The Elderly In Trinidad and Tobago.
A society that ignores its elderly citizens is doomed to a life of regret and pain. It’s easy for youths pumped up with energy to discount the years of real life and living strategies they have acquired over their evidently long years.
Granted some sometimes age does not bring wisdom but that is only in a marginal few cases.
For most of old people carry a wealth of knowledge in personal and professional life experience. That is a fact of life in our society, Trinidad and Tobago it is not appreciated.
Who among us do not have an elderly, mother, father, uncle aunt or grand mother or father? Yet we read in the paper of an 81 year old woman raped, robbed doused with kerosene and life threatened.
Recently, we had a case of a son chopping up his father, a teenager cussing out his elderly grand mother. We have become immune to such occurrences.
Of course, it is mentioned in many conversations in person, on blogs and comments on the local paper. Other than that; nothing is ever done. Where will it end?
The answer to that question we hope we never know. The real questions, seeing that we are already here is how do we change this?
Here’s the deal. Every one of us will age; like we say here “no ifs and or buts about it” it’s guaranteed. Not tomorrow or next week, yes that’s aging too, but we are talking about 10 or 20 years from now, if you are lucky, you will be there.
Youths will one day be saying the same thing or maybe by then the elderly in Trinidad and Tobago will have grown used to being disrespected and abused. Think future, short future if there is any.
What; as a society, can we do about it? Nothing?
One local youth organization “Youth Voices” is doing something. They have rallied teams of youths to visit the elderly and share some life with them. To give back, transfer some of that youthful energy to a complete stranger. By sharing quality time with the elderly two things happen.
The elderly is totally overjoyed to interact with youths who are respectful, inquisitive and caring. Sadly it’s an oasis in a dry parched desert. They also get an opportunity to get some chores done around the house that would most likely not be left for years in it’s present state.
The second thing that happens and it is merely as a result of the experience, the youth is touched in a human sort of way. It emboldens the teaching they had about respecting the elderly.
They now know the reason why, for some it ‘s a eureka moment; “gosh I will be there some day”. None will leave untouched by the experience,
These youths are depositing good Karma into their life’s bank accounts. They are making a difference where others talk and write and postulate about how bad things getting in the country. It reminds me of a perfect example of this.
Everyday, the Trinidad Express finds some infrastructural problems, a pot hole that is not being fixed, a street sign misspelled or a barrel in a barrel being used as a man hole cover.
These pictures are posted with captions about the potential of someone getting hurt. The result, well it’s the same as what happens when we talk. Rarely is anything fix because it is published.
That’s just how it is in T&T.
Youths associated with the Youth Voices Elderly programme is making a real life difference on elderly at a time.
In the larger scheme of things, it is a token effort but the joy that Mrs. Eutrice, the last recipient of this venture, had nothing to do with a big scheme. It was just a helping hand and she was extremely happy and delighted make these few idealistic youths feel welcomed. When the group was preparing to leave she asked;
"Thank you, when all yuh coming back?"
It is sad to know that as a society we either ignore or warehouse our elderly, the ones who are independent we disrespect. The obvious disrespect we are dealing with, those can be addressed directly. But it’s the disrespect that is not so obvious that will eventually hurt the society more.
What is not obvious it that there are literally thousands of elderly being warehoused in geriatrics homes, Many are getting bad treatment in groups not individually.
There is a lack of legislation to protect or ensure that the level of abuse in these homes are monitored and regulated. It’s like a society open secret, we all wish that we don’t end up in “one a them places”.
The answer to the old lady’s question is still up in the air. A couple of the Youth Voice’s team members because they quickly developed a bond with Mrs. Eutrice promised to pay regular visits.
But that was not good enough. As a society we need to do more. We need to start inculcating in our youth the importance of respecting our elderly. Youth Voices and the teams that volunteered has begun to make a small difference.
Compared to the needs in this small country, there actions made little or no impact on the problem. But they are not just talking about it. They are doing it.
Fact is; What have you done for the elderly lately?
Article submitted to Youth Voices Magazine to assist in their Elderly Care Programme.
Please kiss an 80 year young elderly person today.
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